


certainties

by spookykingdomstarlight



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, First Meetings, Kissing, Loyalty, Post-Solo: A Star Wars Story, Pre-Rogue One, Qi'ra Recruits Jyn to Crimson Dawn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-08-17 05:52:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16510565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookykingdomstarlight/pseuds/spookykingdomstarlight
Summary: But, oh, Qi’ra wanted her all the same. Anybody who was willing to confront her was worth knowing, worth shaping into something greater than this small-time criminal, the pettiest of the petty. She’d been hurt; she distrusted easily. That was something Qi’ra could use.





	certainties

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inquisitor_tohru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inquisitor_tohru/gifts).



It wasn’t Qi’ra’s intention to pick up strays. In fact, she tried to avoid doing just that, well aware that the price was often high and the costs exacted on the bodies of those strays too great. As Crimson Dawn’s leader, it was her job to ensure everything they did was for the greater good—in this case, the procurement of money and power. Not at all surprisingly, little lost orphans were generally not what anyone considered valuable material.

Besides, she was a crime lord; she wasn’t a petty criminal the way Lady Proxima had been. She didn’t need to pluck children off the street to better serve her ends. She had loyal lieutenants to do her bidding and a galaxy full of potential allies who feared her. There was no point, she’d found, in forcing people who didn’t want to join up to do just that. In this, she was different than Dryden.

She knew what happened to people like Dryden, who did just that.

She’d been what happened to people like Dryden.

Then a little lost orphan spit in her face and all bets were off. “Kriff you,” she said, voice a barely contained storm. Her face was mottled with bruises. Blood congealed in thin streaks on her cheeks and across her jaw. A few bruises were beginning to bloom like dark flowers against her pallid skin. There was fury in her eyes, a rictus of anger so deep that Qi’ra couldn’t help but sympathize. In truth, the orphan wasn’t so little, but Qi’ra knew well the type. This woman believed herself alone in the universe and she was unhappy about it. She may not have known it—Qi’ra hadn’t known it herself, not really, not the truth source of her unhappiness, not until long after it hadn’t mattered—but it was the truth.

“Well,” Qi’ra said, as pleasant as she knew how to be. It was a trick she’d picked up from Dryden. Nothing unsettled your enemies so much as a pleasant aspect. Of course, you had to be willing to back it up with violence, but Qi’ra had learned never to have a problem with that. Pulling a handkerchief from the inside pocket of her jacket, she cleaned the saliva from her cheek and forced herself not to grimace. “That is a courteous greeting, Liana Hallik. Do you know who I am?”

“Do I need to?” Liana asked. She spoke as though that were truly her name, that she’d shed her real identity somewhere along the way. Qi’ra had half a mind to push her even further just to see what she did. How would she react if Qi’ra said the name Jyn Erso? What if that threat dangled above her head?

It was well known that Crimson Dawn skirted close enough to the Empire to be a true threat to the daughter of the Empire’s least well-hidden secret. The right word in the right ear and Jyn would be on her way to a detention block to serve as motivation for Galen Erso.

But, in truth, Qi’ra didn’t want that for Jyn. Perhaps on a different day, she might have. Perhaps if they’d met only a few weeks earlier or later, Qi’ra might have felt differently. But today was not one of those days and Qi’ra wanted very much to see this woman on Crimson Dawn’s side. The only question was how. She was no Rebel, that was for sure, though she dressed the part well enough. Nor did she seem to care much about fighting or helping the Empire, something Crimson Dawn was ill-equipped to do regardless. Qi’ra showed no love for them, but they were useful, and so long as they kept clear of Qi’ra’s operations, she saw no reason to quarrel with them. She could neither appeal to the angels of Jyn’s better nature nor the demons.

But, oh, Qi’ra wanted her all the same. Anybody who was willing to confront her was worth knowing, worth shaping into something greater than this small-time criminal, the pettiest of the petty. She’d been hurt; she distrusted easily. That was something Qi’ra could use.

Saw Gerrera’s loss would be Qi’ra’s gain. “Allow me to make a proposition,” she said, a smile crossing her lips. Whatever Jyn saw on her face, it stilled her, got her curious instead of pissed off. Good. That was good. “I think you’ll like it.”

*

Jyn stood sentinel in Qi’ra’s office as she often did. Or rather, she leaned against the edge of the desk, her arms crossed, and glared at Qi’ra’s latest business associate as he stammered his way through his agreement to Qi’ra’s terms. She didn’t glance at her baton, Jyn didn’t, but she didn’t have to. Jyn’s skill with the weapon was well known and feared. Her face, though Qi’ra couldn’t see it, was stony and blank. She’d heard from some of her allies that it was nearly as terrifying as the pleasant smile Qi’ra offered to those she was going to stab in the back.

Qi’ra always knew Jyn would be a good investment. And she has paid back that faith a thousand times over since she first joined Crimson Dawn.

Business concluded, the man bolted toward the door, barely glancing back. Jyn’s huff of amusement chased him out and even Qi’ra had a hard time keeping herself from laughing. Some of the people she worked with were less impressive than others. He was one of those types. But since he was useful, she put up with it.

“I’m beginning to think you enjoy intimidating them,” Qi’ra said, rounding her desk. Her fingers brushed across Jyn’s chin, held the delicate slope between them. Jyn tipped her head up a little, defiant always. “That it’s fun for you.” In truth, it was kind of fun for Qi’ra to watch Jyn at work. Jyn, her most loyal lieutenant. Her love. The woman who stood with her even through the worst of what Qi’ra needed to do in order to succeed at her job. There was no one who’d seen the worst of Qi’ra the way Jyn had. And she never, ever flinched.

Qi’ra loved that about her.

“I happen to take pleasure in my work,” Jyn answered, prim. Anyone else would have thought the grimness of her expression indicated the opposite, but Qi’ra knew the truth. Jyn did enjoy scaring the weak and vile people Qi’ra was forced to associate with in order to accomplish anything of consequence with Crimson Dawn. She knew, too, that one day Jyn hoped to parlay that power Qi’ra built into something that could take on Orson Krennic’s Advanced Weapons Project.

Qi’ra would happily give that to her when the time was right. But only when the time was right. That was the bargain they struck. Everything since then was sentiment, pure and simple. And Qi’ra couldn’t bring herself to care. She would cut Jyn out of her life if she had to, carve Jyn into pieces if her own safety and security demanded, but Jyn had never given her cause to doubt and she was not Dryden; she refused to succumb to unwarranted paranoia.

Jyn continued, “Is there anything the matter with that truly?”

Qi’ra kissed her deeply, her tongue sliding past Jyn’s lips to curl behind Jyn’s teeth. Jyn opened for her as she always did. For her and only for her. To anyone else, Jyn was cold and distant. For Qi’ra she was the opposite.

And Qi’ra loved her for it. Qi’ra would love her forever for it if Jyn allowed it.

She did so hope Jyn allowed it.

“Not in the slightest,” Qi’ra offered. Her hands skimmed down Jyn’s body, rested at the curve of her hips, hidden well beneath her armor and combat gear. She always dressed the part of loyal enforcer. “Come, our work is done for the day.” One step closer to their shared goal. It was a good day. “Let’s enjoy the rest of it by ourselves.”

Jyn nodded and took Qi’ra’s hand.

Qi’ra didn’t doubt in the slightest that she always would.


End file.
